“Procrastination is the thief of dreams.” -Cree Indian saying

Most of us get pumped for the beginning of a new week. An opportunity to crush goals, cross out items on our to-do lists, and execute put off projects. And then there are some of us who need an extra little nudge by Tuesday morning. *Raises hand slowly* I’m not just the president of the Procrastinator’s Club, I’m also a member. I recently read this: “One of the most important keys to success is having the discipline to do what you know you should do, even when you don’t feel like doing it.” There you have it folks!

Here are 6 simple, yet vital ways to keep yourself on track:

1. Incorporate positive affirmations in your daily routine. “My strength is greater than any struggle.” “I was not made to give up.” “I’ve decided that I am enough.” Repeated over and over, they embed their way into your mind. Write daily motivation on sticky notes and place them in a visible location. Studies show you are more likely to retain information after it is written. 
2. Invest in an agenda/planner. I keep myself on track by investing in a quality planner to organize as many details as possible in my day, when possible. Write out simple tasks and check them off your list as you go. Jotting down items like “Pray, read, drink water” seem simple, but sometimes we get bogged down with so many other tasks, that we forget essential things for peace of mind.  Trying out a different planner every year to find pros and cons from each one is something that has helped me. This year, I decided to go with the Passion Planner that includes an all in one scheduler, goal setter, and to-do list. The key is investing in one that fits your personal style and lifestyle.
3. Create a vision/action board. I often refer to my vision board as an action board. To quote Joel A. Barker, “Vision without action is merely a dream.” The cloth picture display board for my action board was the route I chose to take and picked one up from a craft store along with some stylish gold arrow push pins. With the cloth picture display board, I can easily change out pictures and quotes secured by the pushpins to re-evaluate my goals and revamp my action board throughout the year. There are two definite times of the year that I update my action board. I use my personal new year a.k.a. my birthday as a starting point for my yearly goal setting. *Mark June 27 on your calnedars, y’all!* Then, my action board is updated in December in prep for the new calendar year.  
4. Establish quarterly goals. When I was in the developing stages of creating my blog, I found it extremely essential to establish quarterly goals. Writing out goals can seem like a no-brainer; however, try to take it a step further and break them down into quarterly goals and develop a strategy to execute them. One of my main first quarter goals was to purchase my domain space name and decide on a logo. Once that piece was established, it was easier for me to keep rolling with my next tasks. I challenge you to be specific with your goal setting and have an action plan in place to execute.
5. Commit to a “Power Hour”. In Sakita Holley’s, Hashtags + Stilletos podcast, she recommends working through a “power hour”. It is a full hour dedicated to working on one task that you need to knock off your to-do list. That time is devoted to just creating. No researching, no phone calls. Just work. Start by breaking up your hour into 30 minute increments and then build up to an hour. Or, commit to “power hour” once a week and then make it a daily habit. I will admit. Working for one solid hour without distractions can be tough, especially if you have a family. By simply using the words “Power Hour” it lets your family know that you are working and should remain uninterrupted during that time. The “power hour” strategy is a genius idea. I encourage you to try it!
6. Treat Yo Self. Hard work and no play. No way! Have you been committed to drinking more water for 30 days. 30 days of no reality tv? Give yourself a pat on the back. Read a (leisure) book. Get a massage. Get a pedicure. Buy those Michelle Obama book tour tickets! *Purchase one for me while you’re at it…pretty please!* That positive feedback will fuel you to set out on another adventure and you will be set up for success for the next. 

You can listen to all the podcasts, read all the blog posts, attend all the workshops, but nothing will happen unless you DO the work! What keeps you motivated?